Combined Bull Float-Roller Concrete Finishing Device

ABSTRACT

A combined bull float-roller concrete finishing device including a bull float member and a roller member. The bull float member including a handle and a blade. The bull float member is configured to smooth an underlying surface. The roller member including a pair of rotatable attachment bars which are each connected to the blade in a perpendicular orientation at a right and left side of the blade respectively. A roller is attached between the pair of attachment bars. The roller member is configured to rotate the roller downward to a position behind a rear end of the bull float member to roll the roller over an underlying surface and is configured to rotate the roller upward to a position above the bull float member to prevent the roller from rolling over an underlying surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/880,128 filed on Jul. 30, 2019, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments described herein generally relate to concrete finishingdevices, and more particularly to a combined bull float-roller concretefinishing device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Providing a good finish to many concrete surfaces involve rolling thewet concrete mix in order to push the heavier parts of the mix to thebottom while drawing the lighter/wetter part to the surface, and thendrawing a finishing float over the surface in order to produce a reallysmooth finish. Normally this is done in two stages, using separatetools. First, one uses a heavy roller to run over the entire surface andthen a separate bull float to finish the job. However, when a large areaof concrete is being laid or when the work is being done in very hotweather, the concrete tends to dry out rapidly before the float work canbe completed. This makes for a lot of extra work to get the jobfinished. Conventional tools have been developed to perform both therolling function and the float work, but these tools are very tiring touse and take up too much time to get the job done.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure willbecome apparent to one skilled in the art by reading the followingspecification and appended claims, and by referencing the followingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary view of a combined bull float-roller concretefinishing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a combined bull float-roller concretefinishing device. The device includes a bull float having a rollerattachment along the rear of the bull float. The bull float memberincluding a handle and a blade. The bull float member is configured tosmooth an underlying surface. The roller member including a pair ofrotatable attachment bars which are each connected to the blade in aperpendicular orientation at a right and left side of the bladerespectively. A roller is attached between the pair of attachment bars.The roller member is configured to rotate the roller downward to aposition behind a rear end of the bull float member to roll the rollerover an underlying surface and is configured to rotate the roller upwardto a position above the bull float member to prevent the roller fromrolling over an underlying surface.

In some exemplary embodiments, each attachment bar includes an aperturefor receiving one end of the roller.

In some exemplary embodiments, the roller is attached to the pair ofattachment bars in a perpendicular position.

In some exemplary embodiments, the roller member can be adjusted to varyan amount of pressure being exerted in an underlying surface.

In some exemplary embodiments, the underlying surface is concrete.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure describes a combined bull float-roller concretefinishing device (“the device”). As illustrated in FIG. 1, the device 10includes a bull float member 12 and a concrete roller member 16. Thebull float member 12 includes an elongated handle 13 and a blade 14. Thehandle is attached to the blade via a bracket and screw set 15. Theroller member (i.e., 16, 17 a,17 b) includes attachment bars 17 a and 17b and a roller 16. In embodiments, the device may include at least onemechanical locking structure.

Each attachment bar 17 a, 17 b is rotatably connected (e.g., connectedusing a hinge) to the blade 14 in a perpendicular orientation at a rightand left side of the blade respectively with the rear end of each barextending outward from a rear surface of the blade 14. The pair ofattachment bars (and thereby the roller member 16, 17 a, 17 b) may berotated in an upwards direction (e.g., in a direction above blade 14) ora downward direction (e.g., in a direction to the rear of blade 14) upona manual force exerted thereon by a user to push the pair of attachmentbars in an upward direction or in a downward direction. Moreover, eachattachment bar 17 includes an aperture for receiving one end of theroller 16 which is attached thereto in a perpendicular position. Theroller 16 is positioned behind handle 13 and the roller member (16, 17a, 17 b) may be positioned above or at the rear of the bull float member12 by rotating the pair of attachment bars 17 a, 17 b. The roller 16 maybe fixedly attached to the pair of attachment bars using hardwarefasteners. In embodiments, the roller 16 may be detachably connected tothe pair of attachment of bars 17 a, 17 b by using hardware that may befastened and unfastened. In this instance, different types of rollers 16may be connected to the pair of attachment bars 17 a, 17 b for increasedeffectiveness and flexibility.

The device 10 combines the functionality of a bull float and a concreteroller in one device. The roller member (16, 17 a, 17 b) can be adjustedto vary the amount of pressure being exerted on the concrete (i.e.,underlying surface). For example, a user may apply more force by pushingdown on handle 13 to thereby exert more pressure from roller member ontothe underlying surface. As a concrete worker moves forward over newlypoured concrete, the roller member will be locked in the lower position(i.e., rotated downward) and its job of rolling the concrete will beperformed. The roller member may be locked in the lower position using amechanical lock, such as, for example, a latch, ratchet or a spring. Anysuitable mechanical locking structure may be used.

Once the worker reaches the far side of the working surface, the rollermember will be raised (i.e., rotated upwards) and locked in the upperposition and the worker can then walk backward, finishing the surfacewith the bull float member. The device eliminates the need to changetools, and therefore the worker can roll and finish the whole job withjust one pass over the entire surface. The roller member may be lockedin the upper position using a mechanical lock, such as, for example, alatch, ratchet or a spring. Any suitable mechanical locking structuremay be used.

Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of variousmodifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown byway of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. Itshould be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit exampleembodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary,example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, andalternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbersrefer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description.

It is understood that when an element is referred to as being“connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directlyconnected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may bepresent. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directlyconnected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are nointervening elements present. Other words used to describe therelationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion(e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directlyadjacent,” etc.)

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of exampleembodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when usedherein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps,operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presenceor addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations,elements, components and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. Itwill be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonlyused dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art.However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a termdeviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill,this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context thisdefinition is given herein.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the foregoing descriptionthat the broad techniques of the embodiments of the present inventionmay be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while theembodiments of this invention have been described in connection withparticular examples thereof, the true scope of the embodiments of theinvention should not be so limited since other modifications will becomeapparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings,specification, and following claims.

What is claimed:
 1. A combined bull float-roller concrete finishingdevice comprising: a bull float member including a handle and a blade,the bull float member is configured to smooth an underlying surface; anda roller member including a pair of rotatable attachment bars which areeach connected to the blade in a perpendicular orientation at a rightand left side of the blade respectively, and a roller attached betweenthe pair of attachment bars, the roller member is configured to rotatethe roller downward to a position behind a rear end of the bull floatmember to roll the roller over an underlying surface and is configuredto rotate the roller upward to a position above the bull float member toprevent the roller from rolling over an underlying surface.
 2. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein each attachment bar includes an aperture forreceiving one end of the roller.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein theroller is attached to the pair of attachment bars in a perpendicularposition.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the roller member can beadjusted to vary an amount of pressure being exerted in an underlyingsurface.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the underlying surface isconcrete.